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by Tharika Goonathilake

The State Timber Corporation (STC) will begin buying timber directly from landowners and home gardens this year.

Hitherto, the sale and purchase of timber from the private sector needed clearance from Divisional Secretariats in a time consuming procedure.

The move, which is part of the Government's 100 day program to expedite targets and to offer a better service to the public will enable private owners to sell their timber directly to the Corporation, STC's Deputy General Manager Operations Leslie Gunaratne told the `Daily News' yesterday.

Private owners now have the opportunity to supply their percentage of the present demand which includes 75,000 sleepers and 15,000- 20,000 timber logs and other varieties of timber such as Burutha, Palu and Kolonne.

Measures will also be taken to establish three new timber depots and increase the quota allocated to registered carpenters. The new depots are to be established in Wellawaya, Eheliyagoda and Moratuwa.

According to Mr. Gunaratne, the Gazette notifications regarding the new scheme have already been published. The STC will soon be sending out teams to create awareness on the criteria that will be adopted. A series of newspapaper advertisements and programs are also on the cards.

The Corporation will also initiate a program to distribute supplementary plant varieties free of charge to ensure continuous cultivation and supplies in the future.

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